BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – Local attorney and property owner and developer Robert Dunlap is running for Beckley’s Common Council for Ward 3.
While many may know him as an attorney, Dunlap has spent the last few years renovating properties throughout Beckley, especially in Ward 3, the most notable being the old newspaper building that now houses apartments and Compass Counseling.
He says this can serve as a model for what can be done throughout Beckley if “the right people can get in the right buildings.”
“There are so many businesses in my ward and I’m talking about on Prince Street, and I’m talking about on Main, businesses that we see that work where I used to live in Pittsburgh that could be here and could thriving here, but we never attract those businesses to this district and we need to start,” Dunlap said.
Tracie Filipek, who works as a counselor and director of mental health for Compass Counseling, says she hopes to continue to see progress in Beckley especially with the vacant buildings in Ward 3.
“It would mean so much to Beckley to be able to see the new businesses that would come here into Ward 3 and into Beckley to be able to outreach more people because there’s so many people out there that need services just like Compass Counseling or other types of services,” Filipek said.
Dunlap serves on several boards and commissions including the Human Rights Commission and the Historical Landmarks Commission and wants to bring more voices to those tables.
